Hurricane Arthur (AveryTheComrade)
Hurricane Arthur was a rare early season major hurricane that caused heavy damage in Mexico and much of the Texas coastline. It was the first named storm, hurricane, and major hurricane in the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, it developed from a small low over Nicaragua into a tropical depression on June 16, it tracked north of Central America as a depression in unfavorable conditions before becoming a tropical storm early on June 17. Despite the unfavorable conditions in the northwestern Caribbean at the time, it rapidly intensified to become a hurricane later on the 17th. As it approached landfall in the Yucatan it once again weakened to a strong tropical storm before coming ashore early on the 18th. Arthur spent a few hours over the northern Yucatan before moving into the southern Gulf of Mexico where it once again began to slowly intensify. As Arthur moved into more favorable conditions it once again regained hurricane status early on the 19th. Arthur's intensification then slowed as shear increased in the northern Bay of Campeche, however it maintained hurricane status. After a couple of days of meandering towards the Mexican coastline Arthur began once again rapidly intensifying into a strong category 2 hurricane on the 21st, then a category 3 later that day. Arthur became a category 4 late on the 21st, the strongest June hurricane ever recorded, however conditions near the coast quickly deteriorated and it weakened to a category 3 again before making landfall early on the 22nd. Models suggested Arthur would rapidly weaken as it moved inland, however it remained a tropical storm for nearly a day over land before emerging back into the Gulf near southern Texas. Heavy shear near Texas prevented Arthur from intensifying back into a hurricane, however rain totals in some areas along the Texas coastline reached upwards of 5 inches. Arthur made its final landfall south of Galveston, Texas on the 24th and later dissipated over Northern Texas on the 25th. Damages from Arthur are estimated at around 1.7 billion US Dollars, and Fatalities reached 176, with 57 missing. Meteorological History On June 7 the National Hurricane Center began monitoring a small low pressure area over Nicaragua for potential tropical cyclone development. As the system slowly drifted into the Caribbean it slowly organised, and because of the rain threat it posed to Central America the NHC began issuing advisories on Potential Tropical Cyclone One late on June 11. Organisation of the system remained very slow for the next few days as the system meandered near the coast, because of this on June 13 the NHC discontinued advisories on PTC 1. The system remained disorganised until June 15 when deep convection began blowing up near the center, early the next day hurricane hunters found a closed circulation and winds of around 30 knots; later that day the NHC classified the system as Tropical Depression 01L. Over the next day the depression remained weak thanks to land interaction and the relatively hostile conditions in the northwestern Caribbean. The next day, despite high wind shear, the system strengthened into Tropical Storm Arthur and began rapidly intensifying soon after to become a hurricane mid day on the 17th. As it neared land it once again weakened to a tropical storm due to land interaction and increased shear. Arthur made landfall near Playa del Carmen on the Yucatan peninsula with winds of 50kt (60mph). Arthur continued weakening while over the Yucatan and emerged in the Gulf of Mexico barely holding on to tropical storm status with winds of 35kt (40mph). More favorable conditions in the southern GoM allowed Arthur to again reach hurricane status on the 19th. Intensification then slowed for the next few days as conditions became somewhat less favorable and Arthur's intensity plateaued. After a couple days of meandering through the Gulf conditions once again became favorable for rapid intensification and Arthur reached category 2 status on the 21st. The storm continued rapidly intensifying, reaching category 3, then category 4 status later on the same day, becoming the strongest and most intense June hurricane ever recorded. As Arthur continued to approach the coast conditions once again became less favorable and it weakened down to a moderate category 3 hurricane before making landfall north of Tampico, Mexico early on June 22. Arthur rapidly weakened down to tropical storm status over land as it moved back towards the coastline. It became a tropical depression for a few hours on the 23rd before once again becoming a tropical storm over land thanks to very moist conditions in northern Mexico. Arthur re-entered the Gulf of Mexico later that day, however because of high wind shear most of the deep convection remained displaced over land, generating up to 5 inches of rain over some portions of the Texas coast. Arthur had its third peak with winds of 60kt (70mph) shortly before making a third landfall south of Galveston, Texas. Arthur degenerated quickly while over land this time, only lasting a day over land before becoming a remnant low on the 25th, and dissipating entirely by the 26th.Category:Category 4 Atlantic hurricanes